Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 was first showcased at CES 2014 and Samsung also displayed this camera at Samsung Forum 2014 in Indonesia yesterday. The interesting feature of this camera is that it works on Android operating system. The Galaxy Camera 2 shares an odd resemblance to Galaxy Zoom, which could be called a hybrid of phone and camera, and this one can’t take calls. Let’s take a look.
Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 Quick Specs
- Display Size: 4.8 inch IPS LCD, 1280 x 720 resolution, 306 PPI, Corning Gorilla Glass 2 protection
- Processor: 1.6 GHz Quad Core Processor
- RAM: 2 GB
- Software Version: Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) with TouchWiz UI on top
- Camera: 16.3 MP AF camera, 1/ 2.3” Sensor, AF, Xenon Flash, 21 X Optical Zoom, OIS, AF Light
- Secondary Camera: No
- Internal Storage: 8 GB
- External Storage: MicroSD support up to 64 GB.
- Battery: 2000 mAh battery
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, aGPS, GLONASS, NFC
- Others: OTG Support – Yes
- Sensors: Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, Compass
Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 Hands on, Review, Camera, India Price and Features Overview [Video]
Design and Build
The Camera has a faux leather material running around the camera sensor but it is plastic. The top and bottom also sports a metallic finish but that too is plastic. The new galaxy camera definitely looks better than the last one, but is bigger than what we would like it to be. The bigger size mandates a buldge at one end, which provides with firm camera grip. Both the black and White color variants looked premium.
The weight has also been balanced well this time around, which is still heavier compared to other point and shoot devices. The Display is 4.8 inches in size and sports 1280 x720p HD resolution amounting to 306 ppi. The display seemed suited for the intended purpose and is also protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 2.
Camera and Internal Storage
The imaging hardware remains same as the last version and has not been upgraded. The 16.3 MP camera with 1/ 2.3 Inch Sensor size features 21 x Optical Zoom, optical image stabilization, pop up Xenon Flash and AF light. The image quality is expected to be similar to what were seen in Galaxy Camera, which was average. We didn’t get a chance to extensively test the imaging hardware. You can record 1080p videos at 30 fps and 512p videos at 120 fps.
The Internal storage is 8 GB, out of which only 2.8 GB is available at users end. Since you will require storage mainly for storing clicked images and Videos, this won’t be a deal breaker. MicroSd card support is present for up to 64 GB. You can also connect a flash drive using OTG support. You can easily share pictures as compared to other cameras – thanks to Android OS and WiFi connectivity.
Battery, OS and Chipset
Battery capacity was a let down on Galaxy Camera launched last year and this time Samsung has improved the battery backup with the help of a 2000 mAh battery. The operating system is Android 4.3 jelly bean with touch Wiz UI on top. This also means that you can install various games and other Android Apps on the camera as well.
The chipset includes a 1.6 GHz Quad core processor along with 2 GB Ample RAM. Connectivity options include WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0 NFC, GPS and GLONASS. Samsung won’t launch a 3G variant of this camera, which makes sense as most people won’t bother with a separate data connection for this camera.
Samsung Galaxy Camera Photo Gallery
Conclusion
The Galaxy Camera 2 is meant for those looking for enhanced Smartphone photography, but then you could always buy a good camera smartphone. The distinguishing feature is 21 X zoom, but we would rather have a bigger sensor. Android on board implies, you could edit your images directly and conveniently share them with the world – something we like in this camera.
